Kawakami Uzumaki/Tailed Beast
The Two-Tails (ニ尾, Nibi), is a legendary demon and one of the nine . For as long as the shinobi have existed, the tailed beasts have appeared before them like a natural disaster, drawn to their wars, preying on their strife and destroying everything they encounter. It was as if they were the embodiment's of nature's wrath itself, intent on wiping out the human menace. The Two Tails while largely unknown across the other countries, has an extensive mythology within the borders of . The mountainous region was home to several shinobi clans who were in an endless war that the ground was so soaked with blood that it had changed from an earthy brown to a deep rust. Legends tell that the beast is drawn by the foul stench of death, appearing in a roaring conflagration of azure flames with a chilling howl. A sweep of its tail would burn and incinerate everything it touched, leaving blackened earth and ash in its wake. Yet that was only a prelude to the terror that would grip the hearts of men. On those nights, the grinding of stone would echo as charred flesh and broken bone would rise from scorched earth. The restless souls of the damned wailing in agony as they were are ripped from their eternal slumber. Having been stripped of their humanity, these vile creatures of undeath whose eyes blazed with azure light would charge across the battlefield tearing into flesh, gnawing and consuming what they could, desperate for life once more. It was during these times that the appearance of the Two Tails was often called the Long Night of Darkness (無明長夜, Mumyoujouya). The Two Tails was a demon incarnate, indiscriminate in how it reaped life, it sowed the seeds of decay and death wherever it went. Then another legend was born, that of a capable of taming the beasts. He shared his secrets and soon the people of the Land of Lightning in an unified army sought out the beast that had plagued them for so long and entered a climactic battle that would rearrange the very face of their country. In the end, they were successful, they sealed the foul beast in a human, and with that the menace had been subjugated. But peace would last only for a short time. For the beast would bide its time until it had achieved freedom once again. In the years the followed as it migrated from one host to the next, intermittent in those exchanges the Two Tails would escape, dragging the poor soul of its unfortunate host with it. It would raze the country, summon forth its demons and unleash hell upon the people that had imprisoned it! But time and time again it was defeated. That is until the final against a . Experience brings wisdom, and after all the conflict the Two Tails did something unexpected; it vanished. Over a decade passed and none have seen hide nor hair of the creature, until one fateful encounter against the boy of ill-fate. The events that led to her sealing once again are shrouded in mystery but at present the Two Tails has found a new host, one who seeks to forge his own destiny in a world on the brink of war. Appearance Death shrouds this beast like a cloak, its poisonous vapors proliferate through the air, suffocating the seed of life and drowning all around it in darkness. Appearing as though wrapped in the flames of hell itself, black and azure fire rolls of its titanic body while flickers of white light illuminate the ghastly feline form that is the Tailed Beast. A towering monstrosity, its sheer size makes whole forests look like grass plains, yet it moves with ethereal grace, parting tree's with nary a sound. Personality The Matatabi is a self-absorbed, if rather curious entity. It does not hold itself to the same flimsy ideology of humans, instead preferring to watch and observe them stumble around. It considers humanity at best as something interesting and amusing and at worst, as insufferable degenerates hellbent on destroying themselves and the world. Regardless of its personal feelings the reality is that the Two-Tails begrudgingly acknowledges that it must deal with humans for the foreseeable future. It is simultaneously amazed at their ingenuity, their drive and penchant for getting into trouble, but also finds their faults rather appalling and is prone to fits of rage at their contradictory behavior in changing yet always remaining the same. Having witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations for the past thousand and some odd years, possessing a timeless if immortal spirit, with a body formed from the elements, the Matatabi possesses a nearly alien outlook of the world in comparison to humans. Transgressions against its being can span generations for while the children may have forgotten the sins of the parent, to the Matatabi such wounds may have well as been dealt yesterday. Though it aided the one who would be hailed as the Savior of the World, it did not truthfully acknowledge his desire for friendship. No matter how sincere he might have been, it does not wash away a thousand years of pain inflicted on it by his forefathers. To the humans it has interacted it, the Matatabi is capricious in its demeanor. One moment it can be measured, well spoken, even courteous, but in the next its tone can completely shift, becoming aggravated, and full of scorn. Background At first it was connected to all things in the world, from the rock and soil of the earth to the vapor in the skies. Its essence flowed in every river bed and throughout all oceans. It was every animal, every insect, even the forces of the world itself. It was fire and ice, ancient and old as time itself. It was everything, light and darkness, chaos and law, creation and destruction, its will governed existence. And then suddenly it could feel, not the wondrous awareness it had before but creeping solitude of state, a separation from the greater presence. Presence, power, it had become distinct from everything else. It was darkness, and light, it was both life and death, but it was not whole! The first time the appeared, they were greeted by a who told them of what was to come. It told them of what it had done. It spoke words of belonging and togetherness, but they knew. It was wrong. What their very existence meant was a violation of the world, a corruption of the forces within it. Pain, agony, suffering, death, hopelessness and despair was all it could feel, all it knew. This was not the world it knew, these creatures were not what it had been apart of. But apart, it was no longer. Now a separate entity, its form was of fire, the symbol of passion but a dead one, a corruption of the fire that gave birth to all things, a desecration of that which was sacred. Now, it was a fire that consumed life instead breathing it. It was a fire that seeded an unlife, a foul and disgusting existence. But what could it do? Now and forever that was its nature. It wandered the lands, endlessly searching with a desperation that beguiled its power. That is what the human spoke of, that they would be together again and would know true power. What hubris. It knew of power only in its own pathetic and limited ways. It knew nothing, and so it ignored its message. It saw humanity grow and change. How they took their power, defiled it. Waging war after war with what was once there's. There were moments however, times when it would observe humans more closely, it would often watch them from afar. These humans intrigued it, their suffering, their struggle, it was very... familiar. One such human was a woman. Desperate and weak, she was nothing more than a tool of another. Used until she was disposed with such haste and ease it was remarkable that she stood once more. It took pity, and bestowed upon the woman a portion of its power. Predictably she used it to seek vengeance against her tormentors. In the end she was consumed by it. Yet another lesson. Silly humans. It could not help but find their folly amusing, even more after they invented a myth about it! A legend that it was the woman who had come into being as a living ghost (生霊, ikiryō), now ravaging the land in its quest for vengeance. How foolish. Soon humans began to covet its power, and fought for its power. Struggle. That was the first time it had ever experienced such a thing. These humans had constructed words of power to bind it. It fled to the north, seeking refuge in the mountains hoping to slumber in peace. Yet another thing it had grown to know, or perhaps seek. Existence without conflict, but each time, without fail it was drawn to sites of the cycle. Creation, destruction, light and darkness, life and death. It always found its way to these places, and the humans of the region set their trap. Their words hurt it, the power of the earth itself used to fight against it. Power. Again that word. Is this what the meant all those centuries ago. It fought, it howled, it called upon every iota of it's power but it meant nothing. There was nothing that could stop the binding. And then it was greeted to a new existence. . That is what the human hosts were called, vessels to contain their power, beings capable of housing their great strength and spirit. It was impossible. Should have been impossible. But the humans are a clever group. This it knows now. Host after host followed. Many were nothing more than tools themselves, not unlike itself. Deceived by fools using false words, living in the shadows to serve ephemeral and fleeting ideals. In the end all that they had fought for was for naught. When every one of its hosts died, they did not depart to the realm above, such was the nature of its corruption. It was the phase between life and death, and so close to its center their souls were consumed. Suffused within it. Every human slain by its terrible fires all suffered this fate. It had known its vessels, watched them with the detached vision as one would an ant. But then it had been , called upon by a it had not seen in over a thousand years. Fear. That was the first time it had felt such a thing. What they once were could never be the same. They were corrupt, all of them. Time and experience had changed them, some reborn countless times and driven to insanity. The cycle defiled. It warped their senses, changed them. Old experiences vanished like a fleeting dream and they would always greet the world anew, but such phantom's never disappear. They leave their scars, only we are too blind to see. The absorbed us. But he was not successful. We were not one. It had obtained a false power. A false vision of what once was. In the end even he was destroyed. By the . A strange word. A strange bond. A bold and determined will. But will alone is not enough to change the tides of human nature. The had seen enough. Experienced too much. This had to end soon. Disappearing in the wake of the humans victory they fled to the four corners of the world seeking truth. Their words of binding, it would discover their meaning, divine their purpose and unravel their mystery and unmake them. But it was a fool, arrogant in its own power. Not unlike a human. It defiled the grave of a dead people, questioned them. Then he appeared. Clumsy and foolish he bumbled his way through battle. Yet in the end he showed a rare cunning, it had not seen in many years. It was impressed. Destruction by the most unfathomable means or once again play host. The choice was simple. It offered words to the human, and he in turn spoke his own. He knows of its purpose, and does not hide from it. Instead he seeks to show it something that it has missed. Opportunity the human called it. Adventure he explained. His speech strange yet so different. Would it reconsider the destruction of humanity? Will time erase the wounds of the past with the visions of the future? It does not know. But it is curious. So very curious. Jinchuurki Abilities To be a jinchūriki is to be a living sacrifice. A human being whose mind, body and soul are forever changed as an entity of unimaginable power is infused with them. It is a fusion of souls, a merging of unearthly powers that bestows upon the human the power of nature itself. Becoming the jinchūriki of the Two Tailed Beast altered Kawakami in ways he had never imagined. Within days he began to discover just how much was different. Like the cat the beast embodied his physical abilities were augmented just from its mere presence. He was stronger, faster and far more durable. His speed and agility however increased tremendously, so much so that it took months of reconditioning until he was comfortable with the sudden speed increase. Even his senses were sharpened. He could see in night as easily as he could see in day, the range of his hearing was enhanced and his smell was heightened, greatly exceeding that of any canine. The presence of the Tailed Beast bolstered his chakra reserves by several magnitudes, nearly quadrupling his reserves and that was before tapping into its chakra. He obtained several new abilities that made it readily apparent that he was no longer human. *'Eyes of Death Perception:' The Matatabi is renown for its ability to reanimate the dead so it was no surprise when he discovered that he could perceive, even speak to the deceased souls of those who had yet to be reaped by the god of death. After a human dies their soul lingers for a short period of time. How long varies but they invariable all ascend to the Pure World in time, but until then, Kawakami is able to freely communicate with these spirits as easily as a living being. Spirits however are not human and the preconceptions they often held in life are slightly altered in death. For one the dead do not lie. More often than not he has used this ability to interrogate the deceased for information if need be. It has proven itself to be an immense tool in his investigations, as some souls find themselves anchored to a location for a long time before departing from he world. They serve as valuable information contacts and while they may not have the ability to interfere in the world of the living, they can make excellent spies. To his horror he discovered that by exerting the power of the Matatabi he can manipulate these souls. By infusing them with a bit of the tainted chakra of the tailed beast he can temporarily command them. This power however is far more insidious for once a soul has been touched by the Matatabi, its soul will no longer find peace in the Pure World. Instead it will find itself consumed by the ghastly flames of the Matatabi and its soul devoured. A terrible fate indeed, and one inflicted upon those who perish by its hellish flames. *'Enhanced Speed and Agility:' Kawakami's reflexes and natural agility are augmented significantly even without the use of the tailed beast's chakra. Possessing the agility and grace of a feline, Kawakami's movements make him appear as a phantom dancing across the battlefield. He never makes noise when he walks unless he desires and his ability to suddenly disappear from sight is yet another power he exhibits. He can freely disappear in shadows, obscuring his presence completely, leaving not a trace of his scent nor even a chakra signature. Its as if he simply disappeared. He always lands on his feet regardless of how he was thrown or falls, much like a cat and has enough strength to make near instantaneous leaps with speeds comparable to a highly advanced . Using said technique to augment his speed allows him to attain far greater speeds he could not have achieved otherwise, appearing as though he simply vanished with no indication of movement. *'Negative Emotions Sensing:' Though believed to be unique to the Nine-Tails, the Matatabi also possesses a form of emotional sensitivity and detection. Rather than being able to sense the presence of negative emotions as if it were some sixth-sense, Kawakami is able to easily detect the changes of a persons behavior and emotional state through scent detected via their chakra. To Kawakami, all forms of chakra have a unique smell, and through this he can interpret any individual's given emotional state. This also extends beyond humans, he can just as easily detect the presence of chakra related techniques or abilities simply by the presence of their scent alone. Demonic Release Maton (魔遁, Demonic Release): The foul and corruptive influence of a Tailed Beasts chakra is apparent when its power is released into the world. Corrosive and poisonous to all living things, it grants its host unholy strength at the expense of one's mental stability and vitality. Jinchuuriki as vessels to these demons are the only beings who can wield such might without being consumed by its power. By connecting his chakra to that of the Two Tailed Beasts', Kawakami can endow himself with powerful demonic chakra. Accessing the Tailed Beasts chakra in this way immediately causes Kawakami to be wreathed in an aura of black and azure flames and it is only here that is able to obtain its fearsome power. As a testament to the demon from whence this power came, Kawakami's physical abilities are greatly empowered. The chakra suffusing his body allows him to achieve inhuman feats of strength, speed and durability. In a single guttural roar he can release devastating waves of force that are capable of outright annihilating elemental attacks and defenses. His brute physical strength is such that a single strike churns the physical forces of nature around it, warping the earth beneath it as shockwaves roll forth from the power of the attack. Winds as fierce as any Wind Release accompany his physical movements, and the earth melts beneath him, turning into molten rock. His speed becomes a destructive force all on its own, the ground detonating as he flickers from sight moving faster than the eye can perceive. Yet even this power is eclipsed by the overwhelming power bestowed upon his ninjutsu techniques. As vessels of a Tailed Beasts demonic might, Jinchuuriki inherit unique abilities associated with the demon. For Kawakami he obtains the Two Tailed Beasts nature transformation of Fire and Yin. Wielding azure flames in one hand and the power of the spirit in the other he obtains powers few mortals could withstand. Even in his base form, without accessing the demons chakra, the sheer power and ferocity of his Fire Release techniques are astounding. The techniques themselves come easily, as if rather than learning something new, he is simply recalling the technique from memory. Great gout's of flame erupt from his mouth with barely any effort, while only an insignificant expenditure of chakra is necessary to achieve what others must expend half their reserves on. But when the Tailed Beasts chakra is used to power his Fire Release, the flames become a midnight black. Only in his demonic state can he wield the awesome power of the Blaze Release; unholy flames that burn for seven days and seven nights. But like all things there is a cost to wielding such forbidden power. The corrosive side effects can only ever be mitigated, and the strain of this power is incredibly taxing on the mind and body. Its flames devour the light of the universe, consuming the positive energy of yang in all things. Wreathing himself in its cloak, wears at his own vitality and stamina, and were it not for his Uzumaki lineage his body would have long since eroded into dust. Trivia Category:Tailed Beast Category:Bijuu Category:Female